P hotographing MonumentsMadhumita Gopalan

The Basics

LENS

APERTURE

SHUTTER

SENSOR

● What's the story?

● Compose the image

● Control the light

● Shoot!

● Review, Reshoot

● Process[ ]

When do you have the best light?● Early mornings, mid mornings, late afternoons and around sunset are

great● Sunny days with clear blue skies and fluffy white clouds here and there

make dramatic colorful backdrops. Light is harder and colours brighter● Clouds act as diffusers – they make light softer, and illuminate building

evenly. But too much will make your photo dull● Rainy days can be quite dramatic but keeping your gear safe is a

challenge● Right AFTER a rain, everything is clean, colors pop, gear is safe -

ideal● Avoid shooting when the front of the monument is in shadow – you

can, however, experiment with silhouettes, flares etc● Useful to know orientation of the monument beforehand

Look for interesting compositions● Wide shots of the whole monument● Zoom in and capture architectural details, carvings, etc● Try low angles to exaggerate features● Walk all around the monument to make sure you haven't missed an

interesting angle/view● Look for repeating patterns – a frame with a single repeating pattern

can make a compelling image● Views of the monument from other places – neighborhood, other

nearby buildings, etc

Interesting ways to frame the monument● Through an arch● Through the window of your car ● Through the leaves of a tree ● Seen from another monument● Reflections in ponds, puddles, rearview mirrors,

windshields - anywhere!● Interesting shadows

Inside the monument (if al lowed )● Photos of the interiors

● Photos of the outside FROM the inside

● Light-shadow patterns created by stained glass, perforated screens etc

● Dramatic shafts of light through stained glass windows etc

● Look up - Ceilings are often interesting

● Look down from staircases, balconies, etc

Make use of distractions● Use people, vehicles and other familiar objects to convey the size of

the monument

● These also add color and movement to the photo

● Use the monument as a backdrop for some other subject – like children running around, hawkers on the street, etc

● Local people in the frame add character

● Pigeons...or any bird = awesome

● Distractions like wires, garbage = not awesome

More C omposition Tips● Make sure your horizon and lines are straight

● Level your planes – very hard to correct later

● Rule of thirds

● Minimalism

● Pathways, driveways, staircases as leading lines

● Convey depth

● Use diagonals

Flares and Sil houettes(sun behind monument)

Flares:● Shoot into the sun, at an angle.● Don't include the whole sun – let the building cut out most of it.● Don't point at the sun directly – harmful to your eyes and camera sensor

Silhouettes:● Only the outline of the monument ● Colorful sky at the time of sunset is best● Monument should have distinct identifiable outline● Sun need not be right behind building, it just has to be in front of you● Underexpose as required if using DSLR● Don't use auto white balance – you might lose colours. Switching to

cloudy mode might make colors better.

So...● Use techniques alone or in combinations● Don't shy away from the cliched shots● How often do you visit the same monument? Shoot, review,

recompose, reshoot as many times as you want. It's digital & storage is cheap.

● Rules are meant to be broken, but break them unapologetically for maximum impact

● Remember to take some time to soak in the atmosphere – it'll help you see the story you want to shoot

Happy Shooting!